BookView Review

Novak’s debut is a joyful tale of overheated animals, cultural greetings, and one very patient elevator ride. At the Ragtag Hotel, the elevator bell dings and Dallas Dingo greets each overheated guest with a smile—no matter how full the car becomes. Colin Capybara arrives first, fanning himself in the stuffy air. Then Oona Ostrich flaps her wings. Queenie Quokka nearly faints. Tiny Tarsier clings to Colin. Amie Armadillo curls into a corner. Finally, Oma Okapi squeezes in, and the elevator groans, squeaks, and jerks under the weight of its increasingly sweaty cargo. 

Each arrival begins with a cheerful “hello” in a different language—Spanish, Swahili, Filipino, Lingala—woven seamlessly into the dialogue. The repetition builds anticipation and comic tension as readers wonder just how many animals can fit before something gives. Anastasiya Halionka packs each scene with comic charm, from the animals’ exaggerated expressions to the subtle shifts in their cramped positions. Children will delight in spotting where each new passenger wedges in, and the payoff is sweet: the doors finally open and the animals explode onto the rooftop, plunging into the sparkling pool.

Meanwhile, Dallas stays behind, toolbox in hand, to fix the air conditioning. The moment is quiet but telling—a reminder that while some play, others work to keep things running.

Playful, warm, and subtly educational, this ride is worth taking again and again.

***